Ultimatum
by Luftslott
Summary: Mustang is one promotion away from enforcing miniskirts as a military uniform. Riza is faced with the ultimatum of either leaving her post as Roy's subordinate or leaving the military... and Ed is getting married! Royai, Edwin. Set during epilogue/manga.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I do not own the rights for FMA. This is a fan fiction. Nothing more, nothing less._

**Prologue**

"General Mustang! How pleasant to finally see you!"

"Fuhrer Grumman," Mustang replied with a strict nod. "I was wondering when I would have the pleasure of seeing you again."

"Well, aren't you polite as always," Grumman said, a smile grazed his lips as they shook hands. "I think you know what this is about, don't you General. Please follow me inside so we can discuss the matter over a cup of tea."

"Yes sir," the reply came in a perhaps unnecessary stern tone as the two men walked into the drawing room where tea had already been served in silver cups.

"Now then," the Fuhrer said as he closed the door after his subordinate. "This is a highly secretive matter, would you mind giving us some privacy Mandy dear?"

The maid quickly exited the room with a curt nod.

"Haven't you gotten stiff," Mustang joked as he sat.

"Well, being a Fuhrer forces you to take on a certain role," he explained in a tired exhalation.

"Am I here on official business then?" Roy asked.

"Straightforward as usual, Mustang" the old man commented. "Let me be equally straightforward and tell you that you are here because I am considering filing a transfer of one of your subordinates."

"What's the occasion?" Mustang asked quietly as he slowly sipped his Earl Grey.

"Nothing really, nothing official at least. Just the request of a concerned grandfather."

"A concerned grandfather? So you want Breda then?"

"Always a joker," Grumman stated grimly. "No, I have called you here so I would be able to be as frank as possible without any eavesdroppers. I may be old but I am not dumb. I have this far accepted your and my granddaughter's professional and, well, _un_professional relationship, and I do like you General might I add, no… it's not that. The fact is, as I am sure you are well aware of, the Lieutenant is turning thirty this following month."

The younger man looked down as if considering something before sipping his tea yet again.

"I see," he said in a surprisingly dry but steady voice. "You want her to get married."

Grumman laughed. "Yes, in matter of fact I do, and to be frank again, I want great-grandchildren before I hit the bucket. I think we both know that Riza wants kids too, even if she never would admit it."

"Sir," Mustang said when the Fuhrer stopped talking. "How does this concern me?"

"Mustang, you see, though my granddaughter almost never calls me," he sighed, "As I said, I know very well about your relationship with miss Hawkeye from my talks with 1st Lt. Rebecca Catalina and I have gotten the impression that you might be holding her back in the search of a husband."

"I am sorry you feel that way" Mustang said in his usual nonchalant manner. "And may I add that miss Hawkeye and myself are colleagues and _friends_. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Haha, that's_ your_ opinion and, yes, I have to agree since I too know about the law very well," Grumman said, "and I have tried to change it… but it is almost as if it was written in stone."

"Yes," Mustang said seriously, his eyes tracing the portraits of her ancestors that hung on the walls. "I know you really have tried," he admitted, "and I thank you for that."

"You know, I am not only considering _her_ feelings in this matter," Grumman sighed. "Maybe you too would be better off not being around when the inevitable happens. That is the reason for me calling you out here."

"And are you planning on informing the Lieutenant about this meeting and the issue discussed?"

"No, I think you should do the honor as her direct superior."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you fear her."

"Think what you want, but may I advise you of telling her when she is unarmed. The transfer would be to West and take place the month after her birthday."

"I see."

"So, now that you have been informed, how about a game of chess for old times sake?"


	2. Automail bonds pt 1

_Author's note: You are hereby warned of the swearing in here. Language and such in this chapter of the fanfiction deserves T-rating.  
_

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**Chapter one – Automail bonds pt 1.**

* * *

_June 16__th__, East City._

"Turn on the radio, the 11.00 news has already begun."

"You really would do anything to get out of training, would you?" Rebecca asked with a half smile.

"You caught me..." Havoc replied amused. "But hey, maybe it's something important! Who knows, right? Hawkeye could you turn up the volume a bit?"

"Sure..."

_"...destroying two buildings. In other news, as you probably already know, the promised heat wave has finally made it's way over to Amestris from Xing and today we're going to experience the hottest day in 50 years. Measurements all over the country has shown that June this far has held the warmest average temperature measured as of yet – breaking the previous record of August 1855 with 2,2 degrees. So pack your swimsuits and get out of town. For those unfortunate enough to be stuck in __East__ City__, please stay tuned to find out what you should do if a friend of yours collapses from the heat. This is Cynthia Roxon reporting." _

"And they call that news?" Havoc said as he heaved himself out of his wheelchair, getting ready for walking practice.

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Rebecca cut in. "Do they always have to state the obvious? I feel like a roasted pig."

"Uh-huh," Havoc answered, "me too."

Catalina, who was lying stretched out on the cool floor a couples of meters from the man, sat up and removed the military jacket she had been wearing. She angrily tossed it to her left so it landed next to Hawkeye who was absentmindedly looking out the window.

A few people soaked in their own sweat slowly made their way through the streets below. Some of them were fanning themselves with papers, others hid themselves beneath huge sunshades and among the rest of the people underneath it seemed as if Alex Armstrong's infamous dress code suddenly was the new fashion craze.

"I should have worn other clothes," Rebecca sighed, shooting an annoyed glance towards Havoc who was wearing a wifebeater and loose black pants of some thin fabric. "These military uniforms are disturbingly hot… I tell you, if it wasn't for the air conditioning, I'd be pulling an Armstrong right about now. Hell, I wouldn't even mind wearing that mini-skirt uniform Mustang once talked about," she continued. "Anything but this!"

"_I _wouldn't have said no to a miniskirt today either," Havoc admitted, laughing.

The door to the small room shot open with a bang.

"I bet," Breda commented with a knowing smirk as he entered together with Maria Ross. "Good thing you didn't talk about anything sensitive. You could hear you complaining all the way down the corridor."

"Morning 2nd Lt Havoc, 1st Lt Catalina and 1st Lt Hawkeye," Ross said happily as she closed the door. "That should do it," she said to herself and then spoke up again. "Oh, by the way isn't it a great day today? I mean with the sun and all?"

"No!" the three officers said in unison.

"Yeah, I agree with you three," Breda said unhappily. He crossed his arms as he turned to look at Havoc. "So should we get this over with so we can go to the pool or something?"

"I know, I know," Havoc said and sighed. "It's just not something I look forward to. But I guess the harder the training, the sweeter the victory… or something."

He took a strong hold of the metal bars on each side of his walking 'lane' as he slowly took his first couple of steps for the day. With each new step he panted heavily.

"Oh, come on, that's cheating" Breda said as he watched the sweat drip down Havoc's cheek when he took another shaky step. "You're barely even putting any weight on your legs. If you wanted to train your arms, why bother with this shit at all?"

"Shut up!" the addressed man yelled in frustration through gritted teeth. "This is fucking impossible."

"You can do it!" Maria Ross shouted with determination from a few meters away.

"Come on Havoc, show 'em what you're made off," Breda grunted with a lot less excitement than his female comrade.

When the blond man finally stopped to rest, he breathed heavily. "This shit's embarrassing. Do all of you _really _have to be here?"

"Course! It's because it's more fun being indoors watching a sweaty grown man trying to walk than lying on the beach where the half-naked women are," Breda said sarcastically. He smiled and leaned lazily against a wall. "I'm officially here because Mustang had orders to be elsewhere and didn't want you to be alone."

Maria folded her arms and looked at Heymans disapprovingly. "Can't you be nice for once?"

She sighed; "I'm here for support since we're _friends_. Same goes for Hawkeye, Catalina and Breda. But if you really want, I guess we could leave…"

"Nah, you wouldn't want us to leave," Rebecca interrupted, shaking her head as she looked up from the nice cold metal gun she was cleaning. "Without me and Riza, who would be able to take pictures of this god-forsaken– I mean fine, memorable day? Those two can't even aim a _camera_ properly."

"Hey, that's mean," Maria hissed. "Just because I'm off duty doesn't mean I've forgotten how to aim!"

"One word about your daughter and you miss your target," Rebecca commented. "By a mile."

"But she is so cute!" Maria replied, eyes literary sparkling. "Just you wait until you get a kid yourself, then you'll see what I mean!"

"Like I would ever be like that!"

Breda laughed.

"Yeah, yeah," Havoc said. He looked briefly at Hawkeye and smiled when he saw the grimace she made as she watched the two bantering women. "I guess this day really _is _one for the picture books after all," he continued in an attempt to change the subject before the Lieutenant shot someone. It was a miracle she hadn't even reached to pull out any firearms yet! "You're right, you should stay," he said.

"Damn right," Rebecka said with a smirk, clicking her gun together again. "Besides it could have been more people here, like last week when that automail mechanic Winry was here too…" she looked around the room, confused. "By the way, do anyone know why she's not here? I thought she said she wanted to see this."

"You're right," Riza said perplexed.

"Nah, she rang earlier." Breda answered. "Said she needed to be home today, for some reason…"

"And miss _this_?" Riza shook her head. Her eyebrows were furrowed in worry over the girl she was beginning to view as a younger sister. "Doesn't sound like her."

"I think it's that shrimp again. Some girls would do anything for the man they love," Rebecca commented cunningly. She turned to Riza and added with a radiant smile, "Speaking of which, where's your General?"

"Ha, ha, ha, good one," Riza said tiredly and humorless. "You're lucky I don't have my guns on me for that one."

"Seriously Riza?" Maria asked more chocked than surprised. "_You _are _unarmed_?"

"There wasn't any need for it today," she replied simply with a shrug.

"I know why! It's because Mustang has gone to see the old man," Rebecca said, grinning evilly at her best friend. "so, that means no one important left to protect here, right?"

Hawkeye looked at her angrily but decided she had more important things to save her energy for than an unnecessary argument, like for instance trying her best to survive the hell-hot day.

Breda sighed and fanned himself with a hand. "Come on Becks, that's old news to everyone here. Can't we talk about something other than the Chief for once? Even watching Havoc is more fun than listening to those things in this heat. Again."

"Thanks man," Havoc answered in a raspy voice while giving his friend a stabbing glare. "Someone give me water!" he ordered none in particular.

"Sure," Maria said, hurrying to his side. "So, anyway, why did you say Winry isn't here? What's the occasion?"

* * *

_Author's note II: I made this chapter into two parts. The second part - picking up exactly where this ends and with focus on Edward and Winry - will probably be up tomorrow._

_(PS. All epilogue pictures will appear somewhere in this fic.)  
_


	3. Automail bonds pt 2

_A/N: O_o Over 500 hits in little over a week? I guess I wasn't the only one who disliked the ending of the manga... I hope you like this though. It's the second part of chapter one.  
But before that, I'd like to thank those of you who have review__ed: Kryptonian250, cherrybubbley, Izilen, adelaidemiller, beautifly92 as well as Scenro and "I Shall Review". Thank you for your kind words! _

_

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_**Chapter 1 ****–**** Automail bonds pt 2**_.  
_

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_

_June 16th, Resembool._

Winry let out a big yawn as she sat up and reached for her pink slippers. It had been a long night of turning and twisting in anxiety over this day and the drowsiness she felt wash over her when she climbed out of bed was almost overwhelming. She turned in a clumsy motion to look out the window, trying to see what weather this promised day could have in store for her.

"Happy anniversary," she mumbled tiredly to herself and yawned once more.

It was a sunny day like yesterday and Winry wasn't surprised to see that the neighbors' sheep had already been let out to eat freely of the thriving grass outdoors as she sleepily scanned the surrounding landscape in a hasty gaze. A palette of green and yellow shades of blossoming rapeseed and flourishing barley from the widespread fields met her eyes. They mixed harmonically with the vibrating colors of the red poppies and blue cornflowers that could be found in their own garden during this summer month.

Any other day around this hour, when the sun already stood high in the sky, she would have been down there in the garden trying to help her grandma with her every day duties. But Pinako had for some reason_ forgotten _to wake her at a sensible hour and done all the house chores herself.

Winry froze as she realized the time. The recently installed grandfather clock standing in the corner opposite her bed confirmed her gnawing suspicion. It was nearly twelve and she was still in her bedroom wearing her pajamas.

She hurried to the bathroom at a furious pace and closed the door with a bit more force than necessary. All though there was no doubt in her mind that she should hurry, she couldn't help but stop and examine her reflection in the mirror.

It was as expected. Her hair was all over the place from the hard night and large purple marks had begun to form below her eyes. A physical statement of the psychological battle she had gone through the last month, ever since she had received a letter from Edward containing only four words.

"_I am coming home."_

It hadn't said anything other than that and a time and date; a day she had come to both dread and long for.

It had gone little over four years since Winry had knocked over her two former neighbors and friends in the process of welcoming them home after the successful mission of retrieving their bodies. And today it had gone precisely two years, on the day, since she had gone with Edward to the train station when he was leaving to explore the west.

Time had passed with less and less contact each week and now, two years later, she stood here, trying to shake the sadness and tiredness out of her head. His absence had long since forced her to second guess the sincerity of his promise, of his confession.

But now he finally was returning for good.

Winry didn't know what to do or what to feel. It had gone four months since they last saw each other and after that encounter Ed had completely disappeared. No letters, no calls, no nothing.

Except for the one.

She suppressed a haunting feeling of nausea as she brushed her hair and got dressed in a white knee length dress. Stepping out of her room and hurrying down the stairs she yelled, "Grams! Why didn't you wake me! "

"Should I have?" came the short reply.

"You do it every day," the younger Rockbell called back as she stormed into the kitchen.

"But today isn't any other day," said Pinako smiling knowingly. "As you've reminded me of for weeks on end."

"Grams," the girl warned.

Pinako looked at the girl's dress and newly brushed hair in a firm, disapproving glare.

"I don't understand why you have to make such fuzz over a shrimp. You never used to."

"Well," Winry began but stopped with a sigh and turned to leave instead. "Forget it. I have to go."

"He's no good for you," Pinako yelled after her granddaughter.

The door slammed shut. "What an emotional wreck," she told the dog curled at her feet. "And I who hoped she'd never turn into _that _kind of a woman."

* * *

At the station, the red train had already come to a screeching halt and out stepped a slightly disoriented Edward Elric carrying a large leather bag. He was wearing a loose white shirt and black dress pants and looked rather grown up when he searched the platform with tired eyes.

When nobody were to be seen, he sat down on his suitcase and waited. The well-oiled and well-maintained automail leg tapped lightly against the ground in eager anticipation

He looked around when he heard the easily recognizable sound of someone stepping up on the platform and waved to the young woman who appeared.

"Hi," Ed said, as he quickly rose and straightened his clothes with both of his, now, feeling flesh hands.

"Edward!" Winry exclaimed. She panted heavily after the long run.

Looking with surprise at her long lost lover, she could almost feel her eyes dilate until they were as large as saucer. When she finally stopped and bent to clutch her stomach, there were tears filled to the brink of her eyes.

"Come on Winry," Ed said uneasy as he stepped toward her. "You don't have to cry just because I'm home…"

"I'm not crying because you're home, idiot," she laughed as she ran to hug him, letting their reunion be a happy one despite the turmoil she felt inside. "I was just a bit surprised to see that I'm dating your father."

"Hohenheim?" he asked confused.

The girl quickly moved her hand to brush away some stray tears before she took a deep breath in a, to her surprise, successful attempt at regaining composure.

"What's with the beard?" she asked, stroking his hairy jaw line to punctuate the words.

"Oh this?" Edward asked running a nervous hand through the short blond strands. "I thought it was time for a change… and admit it, don't I look manly?"

"No, you look ridiculous," she said plainly.

"Are you saying I'm not pulling it off!" he almost yelled. Hot tempered as always.

"I'm saying it's scratchy," she said as calmly as ever and stared at her friend, daring him to continue with the yelling.

He inhaled and exhaled slowly a couple of times and laughed. "I agree with you," he told her and scratched his cheeks to punctuate his words. "Maybe I should shave it off then."

Winry shook her head, and started to walk toward her house. "No, you should keep it if you want to," she said.

All Edward could do was to follow a few steps behind.

"Winry," Ed finally exclaimed after a long, out-drawn minute. "What's with the sadness?"

She stopped and turned to face him.

They were standing underneath the wide spread branches of a maple tree. The light-green leaves cast a much appreciated shade on the pair of young adults.

"What's with not calling for the last four months or so!" Winry retorted in a gloomy rather than angry tone.

Ed sighed as if he just suddenly had realized what a jerk he must have seemed like. "Oh," was all he said.

"You should have called, you know," she said.

"I know," Ed said and scanned the area slowly with a firm gaze. When the lack of surrounding movements told him they were alone, he kissed her hair hastily as if afraid of being caught mid-through such an act. "Sorry," he added.

"Yeah, yeah," Winry said waving it off. She resonated that the imminent argument was better to have when she had access to heavy tools to throw at him. She gave Ed a devil's smile and said, "Let's talk about it later instead… I have a freshly baked apple pie waiting for us in the kitchen."

Ed smiled at her, happily unaware of the evil plot his girlfriend had mapped out. "Some things never change," he said and continued walking and dragged Winry along with him onto a field he knew was a short-cut to the yellow house that was their current destination.

There was nothing poetic about the situation, nothing at all like the reunion Winry had pictured as she had lain sleepless on her soft mattress several nights earlier.

Edward's hair didn't glimmer like gold in the sun and his eyes didn't sparkle like the stars when they finally had seen each other this abnormally warm day. He hadn't entrusted her with any prosaic poems about his undying love for her either. Hell, he hadn't even kissed her on the lips!

But he was home and she had never expected it to feel that good to have him back with her, despite what a jerk he had been and still was.

"Hey," Ed said after the two of them had walked silently a couple of minutes. "Is the old hag home?"

"Yes," Winry answered. "So you better behave unless you want to be thrown out of the house all together. It's bad enough she has you to living in the basement."

"I know… I had hoped she wasn't home..." Ed said. "I swear she has it in for me."

"Can you blame her?" Winry replied laughing. "She almost had a heart attack after she caught us when you were here last time."

The young man grinned softly at the memory. He wrapped an arm again the girl and kissed her blond strands. "Guess we have to be more careful this time around," he said.

Winry groaned in sudden frustration. She shot an annoyed glare at the taller figure and ducked out of his grip. Then she came to an abrupt halt, forcing the man to stop with her.

"There isn't going to be a next time until you explain what's been going on these four months," she said as she violently poked a finger into his chest. "I've been worried sick about you and Al! But Al had the decency to call! You didn't."

He held his hands up in defeat and shrugged. His eyebrows twitched as he spoke. "Like you're the one to talk! You didn't call either."

"You didn't give me a number!" she yelled as angry tears started welling up in her blue eyes. She shook her head aggressively in disbelief when she felt the watery sensation on her cheeks. "God, why do I do this? I shouldn't cry. I-I am not weak," she said in an attempt to convince herself more than to tell Ed.

Ed looked at her in disbelief, his eyebrows were raised abnormally high and his mouth was opened in a rather dumb-looking expression. He patted her arm awkwardly, uncertain of what he ought to do. This little outburst wouldn't have happened a few years ago… Back then she would have put up a wall to shield herself off, rather than letting her emotions free.

Winry stopped trashing her head around as she felt the soft reassurance of a warm hand on her and instead sought Ed's eyes with her own surprised set. She hugged him tightly and dug her face into his shoulders. She clung to him for her life, afraid that he'd leave to never be heard from again if she let him go.

"You should have called," she repeated as she breathed into him, a lot calmer than moments ago.

"I know, I should have."

"Idiot." She shook her head and continued in a low voice. "I thought something was wrong at first, but when Al told me you'd called him several times… I… I didn't know what to think."

He pouted. "I said I'm sorry," he said in an unnecessary harsh tone, so it became overly obvious that he really was extremely unwilling to admit his fault.

Winry retrieved her arms and took a step back, all the while staring at him with those blue eyes of hers. "Sorry isn't good enough," she said slowly. Angrily.

"Then what do you want me to do?" he asked helplessly.

"Explain."

"I can't!"

"Jerk."

Edward stood there for a while, with the blond woman standing a few feet before him, trying to find the courage to say those three words he hated saying but loved hearing her say. – Just like when he two years prior to this moment had been trying to find the guts to tell her that he wanted to give his life to her and her to give hers to him.

"I love you," he finally muttered as if he was throwing off any other words.

He bent to hug her and planted a soft kiss on her fair hair, just like he'd seen other men do when their missus was upset.

She stood stiff as a board until he finally moved his arms to wrap them around her.

Easing up some she murmured into his shoulder, "You can do better than that".

He kissed her on her forehead, making sure to not show any glee from the good, much welcome, turn of events.

Winry laughed softly at his uncertainty. She moved away and bit her lip as if deep in thought before she finally announced;

"Ed, that's not how you kiss your girlfriend after being away this long."

.

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_A/N II: So that's that. Posted within a day as promised… or not. You know, it **is **still the same day in Mercury, though… that's got to count as something, right?_

_PS. I had hoped this wouldn't have turned out this cheesy… but you know how it is… some characters insist on doing certain things, and who would I be to not let them?_


End file.
